Page 27 - Holiday Park Parent Student Handbook 22-23

SOCIAL WORKER (Click Here for Video)
School social workers are an integral link between school, home, and community in helping students to be exceptionally prepared for success. The school social worker/home school visitor will focus on coordinating the efforts of schools, families, and communities toward helping students improve their academic achievement and social, emotional, and behavioral competence by using its unique perspective of viewing the person in his or her environment. School social workers seek to ensure equitable education opportunities; ensure that students are mentally, physically, and emotionally present in the classroom; and promote respect and dignity for all students. They give teachers and parents the skills they need to better communicate and bond with children of all ages. They also work directly with school counselors and administrators as well as students and families, providing leadership in forming mental health intervention, crisis management, and support services. As part of an interdisciplinary team to help students succeed, school social workers also facilitate community involvement in the schools while advocating for student success. Studies show that having social workers in schools helps improve attendance and enables students to overcome life’s hurdles so they get the best possible education. Social workers also help students address issues related to bullying, grief and loss, and trauma.
Annual Child Find and Notice to Parents (CFR 300.125)
SERVICES FOR PROTECTED HANDICAPPED STUDENTS
In compliance with state and federal law, Plum Borough School District will provide to each protected handicapped student without discrimination or cost to the student or family, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abilities. In order to qualify as a protected handicapped student, the child must be of school age with a physical or mental disability, which substantially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the school program. These services and protections for “protected handicapped students” are distinct from those applicable to all eligible or exceptional students enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs. For further information on the evaluation procedures and provision of services to protected handicapped students or eligible students, contact Dr. Ashlea Rineer-Hershey, Director of Special Education and Pupil Services at 412-798-6368 throughout the school year.
NOTICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
Each school district, along with other public agencies in the Commonwealth, must establish and implement procedures to identify, locate and evaluate all children who need special education programs and services because of the child’s disability.This notice is to help find these children, offer assistance to parents and guardians, and describe the parents’ rights with regard to confidentiality of information that will be obtained during the process. Each school district shall also conduct awareness activities to inform the public of gifted education services and programs and the manner by which to request these services and programs. The content of this notice has been written in English. If a person does not understand any of this notice, he or she should contact the school district and request an explanation.
IDENTIFICATION ACTIVITY
Child Find refers to activities undertaken by public education agencies to identify, locate, and evaluate children residing in the State, including children attending private schools, who are suspected of having disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, and determine the child’s need for special education and related services. The purpose is to locate these children so that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) can be made available. The types of disabilities, that if found to cause a child to need services are: Autism, emotional disturbance, hearing impairments including deafness, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment due to chronic or acute health problems, specific learning disabilities (speech or language), traumatic brain injury, visual impairment including blindness, and in the case of a child that is of preschool age developmental delay. Screening activities are also conducted to determine student need for gifted support services. The Plum Borough School District provides educational services for all eligible students either through district- operated classes, contracts with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit #3, Private Academic Schools, or Approved Private Schools.
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Exceptionally Prepared for Success 27